2017 | U.S. DOE Office of Science (SC)

Gray Tin Exhibits Novel Topological Electronic Properties in 3D

In a surprising new discovery, alpha-tin, commonly called gray tin, exhibits a novel electronic phase when its crystal structure is strained, putting it in a rare new class of 3D materials called topological Dirac semimetals (TDSs).

Team at the University of Delaware Highlights Work on Tuning Block Polymers for Nanostructured Systems

Block polymers, which are two or more polymer chains with different properties linked together, show great promise for many of these applications, and a research group at the University of Delaware has made significant strides in their development over the past several years.

Enzyme Structures Illuminate Mechanism Behind Bacteria’s Bioremediation Prowess

Scientists from the Department of Biochemistry and Department of Chemistry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison have solved the structure of an enzyme caught in the act of attacking toluene — a chemical derived from wood and oil.

Controlling Fast X-ray Pulses with Laser Light

Researchers at Lund University and LSU have used laser pulses to change a gas of atoms so that rather than absorbing the x-ray light along one direction, the atoms are instead stimulated to emit x-ray light along a completely different direction, and at a time that the scientists can control.

Stanford Scientists Reveal How Grass Developed a Better Way to Breathe

Grasses are better able to withstand drought or high temperatures than many other plants in large part due to changes in their pores, called stomata. Stanford scientists have discovered how grasses produce these altered pores, which could someday lead to crops that can better survive climate change.

MSU Researcher Recreates Evolution Process of Protein

In a recent study published in The Plant Journal, Michigan State University researchers have shown how the two parts of the orange carotenoid protein, or OCP, interact by splitting the native protein into its two building blocks.

Discovery Could Lead to New Catalyst Design to Reduce Nitrogen Oxides in Diesel Exhaust

Researchers at Purdue University have discovered a new reaction mechanism that could be used to improve catalyst designs for pollution-control systems to further reduce emissions of smog-causing nitrogen oxides in diesel exhaust.

Plant Scientists Aim to Turn Sorghum into Jet Fuel

As members of a new federally funded bioenergy research center, two Nebraska plant scientists plan to spend the next five years working to expand the oil-producing capability of the sorghum plant.

Indiana University-led Team Maps Zika Virus Protein to Speed Search for Cure

A new study shows how Indiana University scientists are speeding the path to new treatments for the Zika virus, an infectious disease linked to birth defects in infants in South and Central America and the United States.

New Way to Characterize Cellulose, Advance Bioproducts

Researchers at Washington State University Tri-Cities and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory have found a new way to define the molecular structure of cellulose, which could lead to cheaper and more efficient ways to make a variety of crucial bioproducts.

From the Lab to the World: Solving Big Problems in Agriculture and Energy

The Kramer lab at Michigan State University has unveiled a sophisticated, user-friendly, and cheap scientific instrument to measure plant health and photosynthesis parameters.

Research Reveals Inner Workings of Liquid Crystals

New research led by Juan de Pablo, the Liew Family Professor at the Institute for Molecular Engineering, uncovers previously unknown features that develop from the interface between air and certain widely studied liquid crystals.